Recent writing: benzodiazepines, the ‘sex recession’, and early menopause

November’s features for Grazia, The Pool, and BBC Three covered a pretty interesting range of subjects: anxiety, addiction, sex, millennials, periods, fertility, and the menopause.

‘I’d Treat Myself With Diazepam In The Way People Treat Themselves To A Glass Of Wine After A Stressful Day’ – for Grazia:

Lena Dunham this week revealed that she’s six months sober, after three years of misusing anti-anxiety medication Klonopin (Clonazepam). Speaking on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, the 32-year-old actress said: ‘I was having crazy anxiety and having to show up for things that I didn’t feel equipped to show up for. But I know I need to do it, and when I take a Klonopin, I can do it.’

Over time, Dunham added: ‘It stopped being “I take one when I fly” to “I take one when I’m awake”. I didn’t have any trouble getting a doctor to tell me, “you have serious anxiety issues, you should be taking this”.’

Are we stuck in a global sex recession? – for The Pool:

It’s probably telling that my response to a recent Atlantic article on the so-called “millennial sex recession” was a shrug. “Who the hell has time for sex?” I quipped. “We’re all too busy stressing about the end of the world.”

Hyperbole aside, it is clear that sex has slipped down our priority list. Over the last few years, an increasing number of headlines have mourned the millennial generation’s collective sex life, with study after study after study showing we’re having less sex than our parents – but why?

The truth about early menopause – for BBC Three:

Most women don’t even think about the hormonal roller coaster that is the menopause until they hit their mid-40s, with 51 being the average age for women’s periods to actually stop. But Adele Stevens is dealing with hot flushes, mood swings and the end of her fertility aged just 25. To make matters worse, she’s going through it at the same time as her mum, who is in her 50s.

Adele is a mum herself, to a six-year-old daughter. “All my friends are having babies at the moment and I still want another one, but I don’t know if it’s possible now,” she says.

About me

Gender inequality and sexism have huge health implications - from the staggering rate of male suicide, to the ongoing attacks on women's sexual and reproductive rights.

As a feminist health journalist, I'm particularly interested in those areas where feminism and wellbeing collide. I explore this in more detail on my women's health blog, Hysterical Women.

This blog is a place to curate my recent work, profile the small business clients I love working with, and reflect in a more personal way on freelancing, mental health, and feminism. Expect ups, downs, recommendations, and vulnerability.

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